Yesterday’s 2020 Academy Awards nominations are still on our minds. We’re again rolling our eyes at how outrageously white and male the nominees are.
While we are plenty excited for Bong Joon Ho’s commanding film Parasite earning South Korea its first-ever nomination (how?), however, none of the nominees are for acting categories. The only POC that’s a nominee is Cynthia Erivo.
A thrilling moment for her considering she’s one step closer to becoming an EGOT winner thanks to her Oscar nomination for Harriet.
On the other hand, how’s it possible that her nomination is the only one that of a nonwhite actor? The acting nominees were overwhelmingly white. Actresses Jennifer Lopez, Awkwafina, and Lupita Nyong’ o are shockingly overlooked in their categories despite giving stellar performances.
Keeping with the shock and awe theme, the directing nominees were also overwhelmingly white and very male. The nominees sparked praise from petulant film bros on twitter. One tweet I kept reading is, “maybe next time women should make better movies“.
Imagine the audacity, when filmakers like Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire), Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Greta Gerwig (Little Women), Alma Har’el (Honey Boy), Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Kasi Lemmons (Harriet), Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim), Lorene Scafaria (Hustlers), Claire Denis (High Life), and Olivia Wilde (Booksmart) exist.
Yet the Academy failed to recognize these directors despite their acclaimed 2019 movies.
Not to mention that only five women have ever been nominated for Best Director in the history of the Oscars; Lina Wertmüller in 1976, Jane Campion in 1993, Sofia Coppola in 2003, Kathryn Bigelow in 2009, and Greta Gerwig in 2017. Bigelow’s the only woman to win Best Director for The Hurt Locker.
Awkwafina in The Farewell (Best Actress)
Coincidentally, just last weekend, Awkwafina made history winning a Golden Globe in a lead acting category. Now she’s overlooked for her multidimensional performance, which is comical as well as heart-wrenching.
Lulu Wang The Farewell (Best International Picture, Best Director)
Lulu Wang’s wistful and substantially autobiographical film is about Chinese family grief, it’s beautifully poignant and one of my personal favorites.
Eddie Murphy Dolemite Is My Name (Best Actor)
Eddie Murphy’s compelling performance in this biographical dramedy about Rudy Ray Moore, a struggling musician who finds success as a blaxploitation star after creating the alter ego “Dolemite.”
Severely overlooked, Dolemite Is My Name deserves more.
Lupita Nyong’o Us (Best Actress)
Jordan Peele’s sophomore film, Us, was also shut out by the Academy. Nyong’ o’s lack of nomination for such an incredibly complex as well as subtly powerful dual performance in the psychological horror film is genuinely shocking.
Jennifer Lopez Hustlers (Best Supporting Actress)
Among the top of the Oscars snubs, Lopez’s antihero deserves the same recognition as Joaquin Phoenix’s antihero Joker.
Mati Diop Atlantics (Best Director)
First-time filmmaker Mati Diop’s directorial is one of the most enchanting stories. Not only is it a multifaceted love and ghost story, but it also features a much-needed spotlight on Senegal’s migrant crisis.
Despite all of the critical acclaim across the board, the film’s Oscar recognition is nonexistent.
Adam Sandler Uncut Gems (Best Actor)
Many considered Sandler’s Uncut Gems performance his magnum opus in the Safdie brothers directorial. Collecting momentum in the anxiety-riddled film, although sadly Sandman was looked over yet he will always have his mama.
Pedro Almódovar Pain and Glory (Best Director)
Pain and Glory’s the result of Almodóvar’s and Antonio Bandera’s eight-film relationship throughout forty years, the respect these two have for another is palpable in this underrated film of 2019.
Banderas’ incredible nuanced and emotional performance gives viewers more depth than just being the heartthrob hero.
Greta Gerwig Little Women (Best Director)
Despite being nominated in six categories- including Best Picture as well as Best Screenplay, Gerwig’s shut out as Best Director. No other female directors were even nominated.
Considering what a fantastic job Gerwig did in the retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s adored classic, it’s surprising since it was such a strong contender among critics.
Despite the snub, Little Women is brilliantly done, and we loved every minute of it.
Above all, our parting words will be those of the great Issa Rae as she announced the directing nominees alongside John Cho, “Congratulations to those men.”
